The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1 Review: Future Days

With its premiere episode, The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1 “Future Days”, it genuinely feels like we’ve never left Ellie and Joel despite where the series has picked up in the timeline. Despite their physical closeness, this episode showcases a new side to their independence in compelling ways.

As such, there’s a lot to enjoy from “Future Days” that not only helps establish what’s to come, but also builds on those integral character dynamics from The Last of Us: Part II. Ever since Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) settled into the Jackson County settlement, they’ve been dealing with their own issues.

However, deep within themselves, they’re still gripping with the situation that led them here five years later. Given this, there’s much to discuss about how they cope with everything.

On the Joel side of things, he’s taken leadership of Jackson County and even offers a thing to two to Dina (Isabela Merced), who he feels like can fill the void Ellie left. However, in secret, he’s actually been taking therapy sessions from a character who wasn’t in the game: Gail (Catherine O’Hara).

Despite Joel initially having a casual session, we get to learn more about the pains he still holds. While one of them is revealed as the death of Gail’s husband, Eugene (who’s only mentioned throughout Part II), the other is how Joel saved Ellie’s life when she was in the hospital, which we learned back on The Last of Us Season 1 Episode 9 “Look for the Light”.

Much like how Part II made this moment special to gamers, “Future Days” does something more with it through this therapeutic experience. It’s one thing to have it brushed onto other characters, like Tommy, later on. However, to keep it tightly knit to someone who’s even closer to Joel will ultimately make this moment more impactful.

This is probably why he doesn’t want to let go of Ellie nor Dina, who I consider to be Joel’s “third child”. There’s something about his warmth towards Dina, even referring to her the same way he called Ellie “baby girl”, that shows his need for personal connection.

However, “Future Days” has to keep itself moving along as we go over to Ellie’s perspective, who’s hiding things much like Joel.

Whereas Joel wants to keep Ellie safe, Ellie wants to go further with her own capabilities. She’s shown that she’s got the confidence, as proven when she’s testing her eagle-eyed aim with Tommy (Gabriel Luna). However, there are some, like Jesse (Young Mazino), who really hope Ellie doesn’t turn.

For the most part, Ellie’s been keeping her immunity a secret for so long and wants to use it as an advantage. Due to this, it makes her somewhat cocky and arrogant when it comes to actual action, which gets shown later on. Still though, some of this rubs off on Dina as “Future Days” begins building on the relationship between the two.

For many fans of The Last of Us, we’ve been waiting to see Ellie and Dina interact and “Future Days” doesn’t disappoint. Throughout the episode, we’re treated to some joke-y banter between the two that feels genuine, especially with that “bear-beque” joke. Despite this being Dina’s first episode, it already feels like we’ve known her for so long.

Of course, fans of the game already do, but for newcomers, Dina’s lovable attitudes and relatability shines as she and Ellie get to slowly find comfort in each other. Albeit, some may find that it’s paced very quickly, but it should satisfy those who’ve been waiting for so long.

This new dynamic, for The Last of Us Season 2, shines through when Ellie and Dina find themselves confronting the Stalker later on.

It’s all for laughs at first, as Ellie and Dina tease each other about how they’ll get rid of the infected. However, when Ellie finds herself in a troubling situation with the Stalker, it gets increasingly tense as you think you know how Ellie will defend herself when in reality, she can’t.

Ellie hasn’t lost her step, but rather, she’s letting her ambition and subsequent arrogance take a hold of her, allowing the Stalker to bite her. She keeps this a secret from Dina, both for Dina’s sake as well as her own given how Ellie is somewhat hesitant in trusting others.

She knows she has to keep her immunity a secret or else she’ll be hunted down. Though she wants to fully trust Dina, Ellie can’t just yet.

However, this seems to shift when Ellie and Dina report in with Joel and the rest of the Jackson County council, showing Ellie that she can open up to Dina, but at the right time. This feels cemented when Ellie takes up Dina’s offer to the night dance, which is adorable in its entirety.

Ellie and Dina’s slow dance was another moment fans have been waiting for and this scene doesn’t disappoint. Despite the relationship-building feeling somewhat rushed, this moment not just proves to Ellie that Dina can be trusted, but that she can stand on her own.

Joel tries to help Ellie out by tackling the guy who made a rude comment towards her, but all she wants is to do things on her own. Ellie isn’t the young girl that Joel was trying to protect and Joel has to learn that he has to let her go. It pushes Ellie to leave, but Joel meeting back up with her lately just slightly mends that divide, even if she doesn’t see it just yet.

This emotional divide between Joel and Ellie will certainly be tested in the next episode. However, the way that “Future Days” has created this narrative element is truly captivating as we’re left to wonder if Ellie can truly make it on her own even with Joel still in the picture.

Overall, The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1 “Future Days” does an incredible job re-establishing this world while building Ellie and Joel’s character depth through their own increasing independence. In its one hour runtime, “Future Days” adapts the most important parts of Part II‘s first 30 minutes or so while still being able to naturally infuse its original elements. 

Stray Thoughts:

• It feel like there was a whole segment from Part II that was skipped out when Ellie, Dina, and the rest of the patrol group leave Jackson County. Maybe it was for pacing purposes, but who knows!
• The prosthetics of the Stalker were done to perfection and the intensity of that entire confrontation between Ellie and the Stalker was so high, I almost got spooked.
• Ellie rejecting Joel’s help at the night dance really worked in making me feel bad for Joel (my poor man just wants to do right!)
• I absolutely loved how it went full circle with it opening on Abby honoring her father and closing on her finding the settlement. It added on the emotional side of things and helped build her motivations, but I’m not ready for her the moment she confronts Joel.
• I also really want to see what else Ellie wrote in her journal because I think there might be a few hidden references to some particular moments in the games!

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The Last of Us Season 2 releases new episodes at 9 PM EST/PST every Sunday on Max and HBO.

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